The Silk Lady’s Folklore: DOAN Atelier Weaves Vietnamese Heritage into Modern Couture
In an era witnessing a significant surge in global recognition for Vietnamese creatives, a new generation of designers is making a powerful mark on the international fashion landscape. Among them, DOAN Atelier stands out, a brand where the threads of history are meticulously woven into the fabric of its future. Their latest collection, Nàng Gấm, or Folklore of the Silk Lady, is a profound celebration of Vietnamese traditions passed down through generations, a tribute to the enduring beauty and strength of Vietnamese women throughout history, and a redefinition of the regality found in labor.
The genesis of this evocative collection can be traced to Jennie (Gia Linh) Doan, a graduate of Seneca Polytechnic’s Fashion Arts program. Her bold and innovative final collection, unveiled last spring, garnered significant attention for its masterful fusion of contemporary design with deep-rooted Vietnamese traditions. This recognition culminated in a prestigious nomination at the recent Canada Arts and Fashion Awards for the Fashion Design Student Award, a testament to her burgeoning talent and the collection’s impactful narrative.
EnVi sat down with the creative forces behind DOAN Atelier, siblings Jennie and Austin Doan, via Zoom. They shared insights into their personal journeys, the founding of their brand, and the rich tapestry of stories that inspired Nàng Gấm.
The Sibling Architects of DOAN Atelier
Jennie and Austin Doan represent a powerful synergy of creative vision and execution. As siblings and collaborative partners, their artistic connection flows seamlessly into their professional endeavors. Jennie, the visionary designer, is responsible for articulating and constructing each meticulously crafted piece. Austin, serving as the creative director, guides the overarching narrative of the collection, enriching it through in-depth research and evocative editorial photoshoots.
Their roots are deeply embedded in Vietnam, a country with a vibrant artistic heritage. The siblings hail from a family with a multi-generational legacy in the arts, boasting musicians and dancers across three generations. Jennie’s own background includes extensive training in ballet, while Austin honed his skills in traditional Vietnamese music. Upon their relocation to Toronto for their studies, they felt an intrinsic pull to explore new artistic frontiers. Austin expanded his creative palette to encompass visual mediums, producing music videos, short films, and documentaries. Jennie, meanwhile, discovered her calling in the intricate world of fashion design.
"We’ve always been so fascinated with fashion, and I think it makes sense because we’re both in the arts," Austin shared. "We’re both performers ourselves, so we have that kind of connection to costume design."
Jennie’s experience with years of dance rehearsals, witnessing the grandeur of stage costumes, and appreciating the intricate craftsmanship behind theatrical productions, illuminated the profound parallels between theatrical costuming and haute couture. In dance, where movement and the human form serve as the primary language, costume structure plays a pivotal role. Jennie translates this understanding into her designs, believing it to be the foundational principle of DOAN Atelier. "Garments have to move a certain way and be seen a certain way," she explained, underscoring the kinetic and visual dynamism inherent in her work.
Unearthing the Folklore of the Silk Lady
Drawing inspiration from their family’s deep immersion in classical art forms and the intergenerational inheritance of craft, Jennie and Austin turned their gaze towards traditional Vietnamese arts, beginning with the stories that had shaped their own childhoods. The collection’s title, Folklore of the Silk Lady, directly references the legends, myths, and tales that were a constant presence in their upbringing. Jennie, in particular, found a profound wellspring of inspiration in the histories of Vietnamese heroines. Figures like the Trưng sisters, formidable 1st-century military commanders who led significant rebellions against foreign rule, and resilient maidens from fairytales such as Tấm and Cám, often referred to as the Vietnamese Cinderella, resonated deeply. Coupled with personal narratives shared by her grandparents and parents about their past and upbringing, Jennie sought to pay homage to the custodians of folklore: the women who serve as living conduits of history.
"I wanted to dive deeper into how women dressed in the past and what they normally wore," Jennie elaborated. "I got inspired by áo dài, our traditional costume, áo yếm, and áo bà ba." Her research delved into the nuances of Vietnamese garments, exploring regional variations and their evolution throughout history.
Austin’s background in documentary filmmaking proved invaluable in the collection’s development, contributing a rigorous research methodology. He meticulously explored the historical evolution of Vietnamese womenswear. A significant challenge, as Jennie noted, was the delicate balance between maintaining historical accuracy and allowing for creative reinterpretation.
Silk, Vietnam’s most historically significant and extensively produced fabric, takes center stage as the quintessential element of Nàng Gấm. The collection prominently features gấm (heavy silk) and lụa (mulberry silk). "When she first pitched this idea, it very much felt like a love letter to silk," Austin remarked. "It not only felt like a love letter to the fabric itself, but to Vietnamese women." This profound reverence for both the material and its muses is palpable in every piece of Nàng Gấm, which reimagines traditional Vietnamese attire through a contemporary, editorial lens.
The Symbolic Narrative of Nàng Gấm
At its conceptual core, Nàng Gấm intricately explores the interplay of class, labor, and femininity. The collection’s striking color palette deliberately employs a duality of black and yellow, symbolizing the working class and nobility, respectively. Black, traditionally favored by rural laborers, was practical as it resisted showing dirt during agricultural work. Conversely, vibrant yellows were worn by the upper classes, signifying wealth, affluence, and authority. Furthermore, the nobility possessed the exclusive privilege of adorning themselves in silk, a luxurious fabric accessible only to those of their social and economic standing.
The collection showcases a diverse array of iconic garments and elements from Vietnamese heritage, reflecting various social classes, regions, and occasions. It transitions from the formal elegance of the áo dài to more everyday silhouettes like the áo yếm, a halterneck undergarment, and the áo bà ba, a long-sleeved blouse and pant set historically associated with women in the rural Mekong Delta.
Looks 2 and 5, for instance, exemplify this delicate balance, reinterpreting traditional garments with a modern sensibility while preserving the timeless, rustic, and intimate beauty characteristic of Vietnamese women. Notably, Look 5 gained international acclaim when it was featured in the music video for Lady Gaga and Doechii’s song "RUNWAY." This ensemble, featuring a skirt adorned with a lotus-leaf pattern that flares outwards like a blooming lotus, masterfully embeds profound cultural imagery into a high-fashion context. It harmonizes the motif of Vietnamese femininity and resilience with the song’s theme of empowerment and confidence.
Beyond clothing, the collection incorporates reimagined accessories that hold significant cultural weight. These include the khăn mỏ quạ, a square headscarf worn by rural working women; the nón ba tầm, a flat palm hat favored by middle to upper-class Northerners; the mấn (or khăn đội), a ceremonial wedding headdress; and kiềng, a silver or gold necklace often passed down as a cherished heirloom.
The deliberate inclusion of attire from various Vietnamese regions underscores the diversity of labor and the profound influence of place, work, and daily life on traditional dress. Nàng Gấm seamlessly blends the utilitarian design of workwear with the regal silhouettes of ceremonial garb, interweaving these distinct elements into contemporary couture compositions.
This striking contrast is particularly evident in Look 1. The long robe draws inspiration from the áo tơi, a rain cloak traditionally crafted from layered palm leaves, and the áo long bào, a gold, dragon-emblazoned robe historically reserved for emperors. This intentional juxtaposition of garments from vastly different origins creates a powerful visual narrative.
Look 3’s skirt silhouette directly mirrors the shape of nơm bắt cá (fish trapping baskets), while the cascading yellow silk fringes evoke the flowing grains of rice. This imagery powerfully communicates the generations of agricultural labor and the sustenance it provided.
In Look 4, homage is paid to ethnic minority communities residing in Vietnam’s mountainous regions. The dramatic asymmetrical shoulder piece emulates the undulating forms of rolling hills and towering peaks. Carved waves across the garment represent the movement of ruộng bậc thang (terraced rice fields). Worn over a backless áo yếm-inspired dress with a daring leg slit, and complemented by a wide-brimmed nón ba tầm that partially obscures the eyes, this look exudes confidence and allure, capturing the quiet resilience inherent in Vietnamese women.
From Initial Sketch to Exquisite Silhouette
Look 4 also holds a special significance as it marks the genesis of the Nàng Gấm collection – the very first sketch from which the entire collection evolved. This initial design was meticulously brought to life, with Jennie preserving the original sketch intact throughout its execution.
The construction of this piece presented a significant learning curve, with Jennie testifying to the challenges of working with silk. The finite supply of material further emphasized the importance of sourcing all silks and fabrics for the collection directly from Vietnam. The Doan siblings’ family played a crucial role in the collection’s development; their parents procured the necessary textiles from local markets and artisans in Vietnam before shipping them to Canada. This familial support, coupled with collaborations with local businesses and artisans, embodied an "it takes a village" ethos, reinforcing the collection’s unwavering commitment to Vietnamese authenticity and craftsmanship.
During the interview, Jennie showcased a piece of test fabric she had experimented with to achieve the distinctive grooved slashes on the shoulder piece of Look 4. The trademark yellow silk peeked out from beneath the black canvas, interwoven with intricate lines of embroidery, each slit and threaded pattern meticulously executed by hand. Jennie revealed that she had carefully deconstructed an áo dài sent by her mother, meticulously studying its layers, seams, and construction to gain a deeper understanding of its assembly.
This painstaking level of detail imbued in each piece serves as a powerful embodiment of the thematic proverb underpinning Nàng Gấm: khó nhọc, sung sướng sau, which translates literally to "suffering first, ease later," the Vietnamese equivalent of "no pain, no gain." This is a guiding principle that Jennie and Austin’s parents instilled in them, and one that Jennie deeply felt throughout the arduous process of assembling each garment.
This philosophy of discipline and care is mirrored in Jennie’s design approach. "As a designer, I feel like everything we do, we have to have the intention behind it," she stated. "I don’t want to put something in without any meaning – even down to the smallest detail like a button or a seam."
Embracing agricultural motifs throughout the collection, Jennie underscored the vital importance of hand labor in "harvesting the fruit" of her creative endeavors. Much like the fishermen, rice harvesters, weavers, and countless hardworking Vietnamese individuals, it is precisely this intensive labor and meticulous care that are essential for preserving delicate beauty. Through the creation of this collection, Jennie gained a profound and renewed appreciation for the labor of Vietnamese women throughout history and their invaluable contributions to preserving cultural and material traditions.
Nàng Gấm’s Global Ascent
The unveiling and success of Nàng Gấm represent a significant milestone for DOAN Atelier, but it is merely the beginning of their journey. Jennie and Austin are actively working to solidify their presence within the fashion industry, navigating the demanding rhythms of academic pursuits, professional careers, and personal lives. Their immediate focus is on deepening their understanding of the industry, forging connections with fellow creatives, and steadily building their team.
Deeply inspired by the pioneering Vietnamese designers who have paved the way and their contemporary peers, the siblings aspire to join them in occupying a prominent space on the global stage, representing a blossoming vision of Vietnamese talent.
During the development and showcase of Nàng Gấm, Jennie and Austin observed a recurring sentiment: "Wow, is this coming from Vietnam?" Many were visibly impressed by the quality of the silk, a reaction that initially surprised the duo. "This is something we could easily have access to; literally, if you go to Bến Thành Market, this silk is so abundant, but it is something so unknown to people elsewhere," they noted.
As one of the world’s largest textile exporters, Vietnam plays a monumental role in the global fashion supply chain. However, its long-standing legacy of exquisite craftsmanship has historically remained underrecognized. While Vietnamese tailors from cities like Hội An have recently gained viral fame on social media among tourists, tailoring culture has long been an integral part of daily life for Vietnamese people, with shops found on nearly every corner.
When asked about their aspirations for what both Vietnamese and international audiences should take away from their future work, Austin shared with EnVi, "It’s not just about promoting Vietnamese fabrics and products, but also for them to know that ‘Hey, we’re Vietnamese and we can do this.’ This is something from our country, and this is something we can do."
As Jennie and Austin Doan continue to evolve their creative output, DOAN Atelier remains committed to building upon the foundational success of Nàng Gấm, adeptly translating heritage into modern interpretations. The brand steadfastly positions Vietnam not merely as a hub for production but as a vanguard of emerging creative talent, steeped in rich craftsmanship, cultural memory, and innovation.
At the very heart of DOAN Atelier lies an enduring tribute to Vietnamese women, spanning from the past to the present. Their strength, resilience, and labor continue to shape the very fabric of each meticulously crafted piece.
To stay abreast of DOAN Atelier’s evolving collections and artistic journey, follow them on their official Instagram page.
